[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Fire Country Season 3 Episode 15 “One Last Time.”]
What killed Birch? And is Manny (Kevin Alejandro) next? That’s the big question heading into the latest Fire Country episode.
It opens with Manny in the hospital, with his daughter Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila) and Three Rock captain Eve (Jules Latimer). The doctor reports that his labs show significant levels of pesticide poisoning and puts him on medications, with the goal to avoid organ failure. He could have been exposed via food, landfills, or chemicals. It’s time to get the camp tested.
Eve is determined to get to the bottom of this, especially with the rest of Three Rock also sick. “I’m going to get you help, I promise,” she assures them and makes sure they all stay hydrated. But that, she realizes, turns out to be the source: The inmates drink tap water, while she drinks bottled out of a cooler in her office. She immediately calls in for a delivery of bottled water and for the water well to be tested.
Once she has the land coordinates of the well source, Eve turns to Sharon (Diane Farr) for help. Sharon looks it up in the county database and finds that Oxalta International Holdings, the biggest chemical company in California, one of the most influential benefactors of the state, with a senator and a couple congresspeople on board, owns the land. Sharon has contacts there, but they’re going to have to tread lightly because Oxalta is a behemoth.
Sharon’s on the phone with one of her contacts from the board when Oxalta’s attorney, Bruce Meriweather (J. August Richards), stops by Station 42. Sharon has questions for him, but that’s not why he’s there. Instead, he hands over an envelope and explains, “All further communications between Cal Fire, Station 42, Three Rock, and Oxalta International Holdings will cease immediately.” Sharon can’t believe the billion-dollar corporation is lawyering up against some firefighters and incarcerated men. “Hence forward, all dialogue will be administered through our in-house legal team,” Bruce continues. Sharon asks why, but he tells her, “Respectfully, chief, I don’t have to explain why. You know, for what it’s worth, I think your station does amazing work. you saved my house.” Sharon advises him, “Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.” Uh-oh, this is going to be trouble….
But wait, there’s more! Jake’s (Jordan Calloway) new love interest, Violet (Nesta Cooper), just got her dream job with Oxalta. She is surprised by the offer. “This doesn’t make any sense. I’m fresh out of law school. It’s a highly paid in-house position. This never happens,” she says. They even accept all her terms. Jake toasts to Oxalta … but he’s obviously going to change his tune once he finds out about its role in what’s happening at Three Rock.
Meanwhile, Audrey (Leven Rambin) notices a bandage on Bode’s (Max Thieriot) hand, and he says he was clearing some trees, a side gig for extra cash for an old friend. But it’s a stuttered, hesitant explanation. Audrey admits her concerns to Gabriela; Bode already has two jobs and he was really cagey about it. Bode also brushes off his father Vince’s (Billy Burke) question about his hand. The episode then ends with Bode at home when Officer Carson (Roger Cross) stops by. “We gotta talk about your parole,” he tells Bode. “I want to know why you’ve been associating with known criminals.” Uh-oh.
What do you think is going on with Bode? And what do you think about the introduction of Oxalta and what’s happening at Three Rock? Let us know in the comments section below.
Fire Country, Fridays, 9/8c, CBS